How to Decorate a Country Kitchen Table

Decorating a kitchen country style is an enduring trend, because the country look provides a cheerful and inviting backdrop for cooking and entertaining. You can switch out textiles or add thematic accessories to give your table a country aesthetic, or invest more money or time to reinvent your kitchen table to incorporate country materials and finishes. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Setting the Table

1

Clear the table. The daily pileup of papers, homework, projects and coffee cups kills the breezy look of classic country style. Use baskets or buckets on nearby floating shelves or open cabinets to hold necessities. Clean your kitchen table with warm water and soap.

2

Consider paint and finishes. The country look favors the light, bright or natural. A white or antique white paint job creates a simple backdrop for more vivid accessories. A weathered gray wood evokes beach cottages. Darker stained wood adds French farmhouse style. Contemporary county looks often feature a palette of primary colors, so a sunny yellow or a bold blue can also work on a country kitchen table makeover.

3

Try different textiles on your country kitchen table. A red gingham or yellow floral tablecloth has a retro country look. Vintage linens in white or off white have a softer tone. If you want your table linens to be your focal point, you can use a cloth that features a red rooster or bright sunflowers. For a simpler look, skip the tablecloth and use a table runner or place mats in gingham, straw, bamboo or stripes. You can add cloth napkins that have a similar pattern, or just continue one of the accent colors but incorporate a new pattern.

4

Bring together form and function with country cookware and crockery on your kitchen table. A brightly painted ceramic pitcher can hold homemade lemonade. Stoneware in bright yellow, persimmon, sage green or cornflower blue adds warmth. Bamboo salad bowls, serving spoons, breadboards and napkin rings give a country kitchen an eco-design look.

5

Finish with a bold country kitchen centerpiece. A tin bucket filled with cornflowers adds rustic charm, while an Italian majolica ceramic bowl holding lemons and limes imparts Tuscan elegance. A ceramic dish holding warm bread has beauty and usefulness. Evoke the simpler life with an earthenware bowl displaying fresh fruit or a simple glass decanter filled with water.